Density-dependence has a potentially larger regulatory effect than persecution on the reproductive traits of a recovering predator

Density-dependence has a potentially larger regulatory effect than persecution on the reproductive traits of a recovering predator | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 20 June 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Density-dependence has a potentially larger regulatory effect than persecution on the reproductive traits of a recovering predator Authors : Katherine August 0000-0001-6031-5117 , Thomas Cornulier 0000-0003-2738-4801 , Phil Whitfield 0000-0003-4255-7782 , Tom Dearnley , Martin Davison , Eve Schulte , Malcolm Henderson , … Show All … , Tony Lightley , Chris Gray , Kate Grimsditch , John Steele , Keith Brooks , Paul Galloway , Peter Clark , David Anderson , and Xavier Lambin 0000-0003-4643-2653 [email protected] Show Fewer Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175042452.21202926/v1 240 views 163 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Where human-wildlife conflicts lead to illegal persecution, wide ranging impacts for recovering predator populations can ensue. They may include reducing vital rates such as reproduction as well as survival. Illegal activities and their impacts are difficult to quantify. Nonetheless, often linked to gamebird shooting management, illegal persecution of raptors notoriously occurs in the UK, in detriment to several species’ distributions and abundance. How its impact varies with population density deserves more study. We examined the impact of persecution proxies on reproductive traits of northern goshawks Accipiter gentilis in northern UK. We found no evidence of an effect of the persecution proxies or of rainfall on goshawk reproduction. However, there was a strong negative density-dependence effect on productivity. Despite the impact of persecution on reproduction being certainly underestimated in our data, the overall growth of the goshawk population indicates that it at least partially compensated for prevailing persecution levels. The observation that goshawks produced more chicks in low density neighbourhoods must have contributed to this compensation. Our study extends previous work by elucidating the spatial scale of density-dependence. This suggested that density effects extended beyond typical nearest neighbour distances, implying that individuals may be interacting and interfering with a wider section of the population than previously thought. Should the population continue to increase in size, density-dependence will probably play an increasing role in population regulation. Supplementary Material File (breeding success paper final version for submission.docx) Download 1.12 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 20 June 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords ecological experiment population ecology terrestrial vertebrate Authors Affiliations Katherine August 0000-0001-6031-5117 University of Aberdeen View all articles by this author Thomas Cornulier 0000-0003-2738-4801 Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland View all articles by this author Phil Whitfield 0000-0003-4255-7782 Natural Research Ltd View all articles by this author Tom Dearnley Forestry Commission England North East England View all articles by this author Martin Davison Northumbria Ringing Group View all articles by this author Eve Schulte Forestry and Land Scotland View all articles by this author Malcolm Henderson Lothian and Borders Raptor Study Group View all articles by this author Tony Lightley Forestry and Land Scotland View all articles by this author Chris Gray Tillhill Forestry Ltd View all articles by this author Kate Grimsditch Lothian and Borders Raptor Study Group View all articles by this author John Steele Northumbria Ringing Group View all articles by this author Keith Brooks Northumbria Ringing Group View all articles by this author Paul Galloway Northumbria Ringing Group View all articles by this author Peter Clark Northumbria Ringing Group View all articles by this author David Anderson Central Scotland Raptor Study Group View all articles by this author Xavier Lambin 0000-0003-4643-2653 [email protected] University of Aberdeen View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 240 views 163 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Katherine August, Thomas Cornulier, Phil Whitfield, et al. Density-dependence has a potentially larger regulatory effect than persecution on the reproductive traits of a recovering predator. Authorea . 20 June 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175042452.21202926/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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